Bridge placement prior to finishing

[jantric]

My first kit martin dread something I would like to locate the bridge prior to the finishing is there a way of doing this ? then masking off the area and finishing the body I will be spraying on lacquer.

[tippie53]

you need to dry fit the neck.
Once the neck is fit you know where the nut is , this is the position also known as the zero fret. Follow the neck center line on the top at the bridge area , then along the line of the 1st Hi E string you want to go 25.5 in to the center of the saddle slot and along the line of the bass string you want to be 25.625 to the center of the saddle slot. This should get you there. I place a piece of tape under the bridge , then line it very close with a pencil. Use a fresh sharp blade and cut 1/16 inside the bridge.

[Darryl Young]

Use a fret blade and cut 1/16 inside the bridge.

Are you referring to a fret blade on a table saw? How do you do this John? Not sure how to get a blade to follow a curved bridge.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Use an exacto knife, or a razor blade

[jantric]

John thanks for the quick reply...I have dry fit the neck as per the instructions supplied with the kit..I used the bolt on insert already installed by martin making the neck easy to take off and on ...the fret board snaps on using two spring pins another great and easy peasy idea.... should I create a slot for the nut to sit in or just butt it up against the fret brd... I was thinking of making a stick out of 3/16 ply to help locate the bridge...I would use the fret brd. to copy the shape and cut to length and use your suggested measurements as martin didn't include them in the instructions...the fret brd.,bridge and saddle are made of some kind of composite material I am considering substitution with real wood...kempas left over from a hardwood flooring job its beautiful and very hard... wood like your opinion on this.. I could send you some pictures of the wood and the progress so far...whats the best way to do this...I hope I'm not asking to much here. Rick

[tippie53]

FRESH not fret blade what it sharp .